Lacock
June 4 1841
My Dear Horatia
We had a beautiful passage. The train attained Chippenham <1> in 3 hours & a quarter. The journey, formerly so tedious, from Wootton Bassett station to Chippm was accomplished in 24 minutes. I don't know what has become of the hills; one of which was long & tiresome The distance is also shortened from 18 miles, to 13½ without any explanation of what has been done with the surplus.
Ye Gods, annihilate both time & space
And they have done it.
The Times <2> lasted me the whole way, being full of interesting news from China: which has itself been travelling towards us at "railway speed" as may be seen by the dates, viz. from
Canton - 1st April
Bombay - 1st May
received in London - 1st June
Your affte
Henry
The gardens are looking very pretty.
P.S. Sunday - Pray tell my mother we will send the Cobourg that is our new vehicle<3> to meet you at the station at ¼ past 3 at which hour the 12 oclock train is due. It has a semi-omnibus appearance, & you will probably be hailed by persons enquiring how much you charge for a ride? This occurred to Constance <4> the other day when driving to Bath.
Say that a villa between Christiansund & Fleckeroe <5> would suit me exactly - Is it within sound of the Maëlstrom?
Notes:
1. Chippenham, Wiltshire: largest town near Lacock, 3 miles N.
2. The Times (London).
3. Lady Elisabeth Theresa Feilding, née Fox Strangways, first m Talbot (1773-1846), WHFT's mother. The cobourg was a two-wheeled covered carriage, used especially in the country.
4. Constance Talbot, née Mundy (1811-1880), WHFT's wife.
5. Norweigian islands - WHFT hoped to hear the famous Saltstraumen maelstrom (whirlpool), the largest in the world.